Final Answer:
Sophocles revisits Oedipus's past encounter with the Sphinx to create an atmosphere of mystery and tension regarding Oedipus's future, emphasizing the unresolved nature of his fate and the potential for further revelations that may unravel his life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sophocles, through revisiting Oedipus's encounter with the Sphinx, strategically uses this past event to heighten the suspense and anticipation surrounding Oedipus's future. The unresolved nature of Oedipus's past experience with the Sphinx, where he successfully solved the riddle but unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy, creates a sense of unease and anticipation. By alluding to this significant event in Oedipus's life, Sophocles builds tension around the yet-to-be-revealed aspects of Oedipus's destiny, leaving the audience in suspense about what future revelations might unfold.
Furthermore, Sophocles's emphasis on Oedipus's confrontation with the Sphinx serves as a foreboding element, suggesting that the mysteries surrounding Oedipus's future are intricately tied to his past actions. This connection instills a sense of impending doom or unforeseen consequences stemming from past events. As Oedipus grapples with the consequences of his actions and attempts to uncover the truth about his past, the revisited encounter with the Sphinx underscores the lingering uncertainties and the potential for further revelations that might significantly impact his future.
Overall, Sophocles artfully employs the revisiting of Oedipus's past encounter with the Sphinx as a literary device to create an aura of mystery, suspense, and tension surrounding Oedipus's future. This narrative technique emphasizes the interplay between past actions and future consequences, leaving the audience in suspense while contemplating the unresolved aspects of Oedipus's fate.